Here are some things that you need to consider in making your revisions:
1) You want to include citations in EACH paragraph, indicating from where you took the information. Please see the links at the bottom of the home page for the proper format.
2) Your essay should include information from BOTH primary and secondary source documents. You should consider using some of the data Tasnim found. Remember to cite this information.
3) Think about moving the opening question in the introduction paragraph. I thought a logical place for it would be before the sentence that begins "Several factors . . ."
4) The introduction needs a sentence on the destruction suffered by European countries as a result of the Second Worl War.
5) You should put "capital of the world" in quotation marks.
6) Try condensing the information in the second paragraph into a few sentences and integrate the sentences into the introduction. This will move the paragraph that begins "Many political changes . . ." right after the introduction. It seems to transition better than the paragrpah you currently have in the second position.
7) Avoid contractions and abbreviations. "Couldn't" should be "could not"; "U.S." should be "the United States."
8) In the third paragrpah you mention the attack on Pearl Harbor. How does it lead to the United States becoming the center of gravity in international affairs. Is it this or the fact that the United States did not sustain damage during the war that led to America's rise to power after the Second World War?
9) The paragraph on page two that begins "The United States had a new role . . ." seems to have two main ideas: the United States' new role in world affairs AND the fact that some people did not understand the political importance of locating the United Nations headquarters in the United States. Divide this paragraph in two.
10) In this same paragraph, you mention the longtime neutrality of the United States. How does this fact relate to your thesis statement? Further explanation is required to make this point or the sentence should be deleted.
11) The paragraph on page two that begins "There were many factors . . ." seems out of place. It describes conditions in Great Britain and Europe. Think about moving this paragraph to a position before you describe how the center of gravity shifted to America.
12) In that same paragraph you mention BOTH Great Britain AND Europe. Separate the two points into separate paragraphs. HERE IS WHERE YOU SHOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION ON EUROPE'S OPPOSITION TO THE LOCATION OF THE U.N. HEADQUARTERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
13) Somewhere around here, you should include a paragraph on the debate over where to locate the headquarters once it was decided that it would be located in North America. This is where Tasnim's material should be placed.
14) On page three, you have a paragraph that describes the League of Nations. Why did you include it in your essay? I do not see a link to your thesis statement. Either make the connection more explicit of delete the sentence.
15) I was also confused by your reference to General Eisenhower in the next paragraph. How does this information connect to the idea that Europe would continue to fight the United Nation's locating to the United States.
16) In the same paragraph, you mention Belgium's opposition to the move. This is a new idea and should have its own paragraph.
17) On page four, you start with the fact that New York City was selected as the site of the headquarters. You neglect to mention how the decision was made. I think Tasnim has information on the debate over where to locate the headquarters and the conflicts that were part of the process. You want to include this information to give your reader a sense of how New York City came to be the site for the headquarters.
THERE ARE A FEW OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE SELF EXPLANATORY. PLEASE READ MY MARGIN NOTES FOR THESE POINTS.
It seems like a lot of work, but it's really not. It more a matter of moving paragraphs and adding to them.
Let me know if you would like to meet to discuss these points. We could do this after the summer academy workshops sometime next week.
You're almost done!
Chuck
United Nations Essay (documents used: The Capital of the World; Secondary documents from In Cause of Peace page 55- 57, page 58- 59, and page 60- 61)
How did the United Nations Organization end up in the United States? The U.N. is an international organization designed to keep peace and prevent future wars among nations. After World War Two their mission was to find new headquarters to settle on. It took a series of debates and long inspections before a decision was made. Several factors influenced their choice. Even though there was much opposition, the U.S., being the new political center of gravity, deserved the title capital of the world.
The U.N. wasn't looking for just any place to settle on, there were specific requirements they needed their new site to have. The capital of the world had to have the best available technical facilities, it had to be able to work in a cosmopolitan, and it had to be close to the crossroads of world opinion. Technical Facilities are in terms of communication and transportation. Mechanism and technology allows for communicating and traveling to places beyond the chosen site. The chosen site had to be capable of working in a cosmopolitan or in other words, the world. After all, the U.N. represented harmony among nationalities. The site couldn't be isolated from the rest of the world because then the nations couldn’t work together. The capital of the world had to be near international crossroads, a place with excellent press so news could get around and communication would be more efficient. Only one nation at that time met all those requirements.
Many political changes had resulted after World War II. When the roar of bombs and ammunition finally abated, two superpowers were remaining. One in the east and one in the west, the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. had attained a new status. World War II took place mostly in Europe. So while Europe was a mess, the U.S. had only grown stronger. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese and the following battles in the Pacific had given the U.S. a significance that it had not received during World War I. Europe was no longer the world's political center of gravity. The political center of gravity had to be a strong nation, a superpower capable of becoming the leader in world affairs. The new political center of gravity required dominating geographical, military, and political aspects, and that was exactly why the United States deserved that role.
The United States had a new role in world affairs. While debating the decision of where to locate the United Nations Headquarters, it was stated that the headquarters had to be either in the new political center of gravity or very close to it. If the capital of the world were to be in the U.S., it had to be on the east coast. Not everybody understood the political importance of locating the U.N. headquarters on the northwestern shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States' foreign policy for a long time was neutrality. In order to secure the new political center of gravity's participation in the U.N., they would have to locate the organization on its borders. The United States' new role in world affairs could not be ignored, especially not by the American people themselves. So the U.N. headquarters was to be on the east coast of the U.S., and what other city would serve as a better permanent site than New York. The decision to place the U.N. headquarters in N.Y. wasn't acknowledged until the European opposition was silenced.
There were several reasons why Europe couldn't have made a suitable world capital. WWII left Europe in shambles. Under normal conditions the U.N. discussions took place in London. The Germans had continuously bombed Britain during the war as Britain fought to remain unconquered. In the end, London was a bomb shattered capital. Their means of communication, their transportation, and their once dominating geographical and political factors had been destroyed during the war. Who would want the world's capital in a city under reconstruction? If the U.N. headquarters were to be permanently located in Britain, it would be cut off from the new political center of gravity. It wouldn't make sense for the U.N. headquarters to be completely isolated from the democratic countries overseas. The League of Nations, which was the first attempt in creating a united nations organization, had failed miserably because of that. The League of Nations had failed due to the indifference of the great powers, which preferred to reserve important matters for their own decisions. When WWII began the League of Nations ended. The Western hemisphere was beginning to take on an identity of its own and no longer needed Europe to look up to. London was no longer world's political center of gravity and therefore would not be the capital of the world.
Europe had been the world's capital for a while and would not give up its position without a fight. Many nations apart of the U.N. were located in Europe. Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France were all in favor of Europe. Another reason the pro- European forces believed Europe would be acceptable for a U.N. site was because of General Eisenhower who was the 34th president of the United States. The Norwegian Delegation had reported, " It is prevailing desire here that General Eisenhower be the Organization's first secretary general." The Foreign Minister of Belgium warned against blocking the election of the desired secretary general by placing the UN headquarters in his homeland. Either way, the pro European forces lost. The U.N.'s Executive Committee had recommended to its successor, the Prepatory Commission that the U.N. headquarters be set in the U.S. Americans were beginning to feel that their home cities would make exemplary U.N. sites. It was definitely becoming obvious where the U.N. headquarters would be located.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations, they chose New York. New York was chosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the World, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. It is considered the cultural and recreational capital of America. New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites for a period of six weeks and an additional 50 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen, chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman," It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. In the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable". New York’s' libraries, institutes, and press stands were unequaled to those anywhere in the world. Its cosmopolitan population provided a inimitable environment for the UN. Therefore New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations.
The effects of WWII left the United States stronger and Europe weaker. The political center of gravity had shifted to the western hemisphere. The US had become a major superpower and was superior to the rest of the world politically and economically. Wouldn't these be the best characteristics for the United Nations site? The United Nations wasn't just looking for an area to settle on. It was looking for a nation the world could look up to, the leader in world affairs, a country that met the geographical and political requirements. This country was the United States. Tasnim: My half of the essay (it's sort of long because Chuck told be to add all the oppositions)
THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
In the decision for finding a suitable location for the UN Security Council there was a few opposing sides. The opposing sides include both national and international oppositions who felt that the Security Council should be placed in their area. The national oppositions in this decision include Westchester County and Greenwich, Connecticut. The international oppositions include Europe and Pedro Lopez from the Philippines.
After hearing about the Uno's decision in placing in placing the headquarters in either New York or Connecticut, Westchester County became upset. A storm of protest rose from Westchester County officials because they had reason to believe that their area was first choice on the group's list of recommendations due to its proximity to New York. They had based their argument on a map that involved an estimated 140 square miles and would affect 10,000 people. They were unhappy about the decision and felt that the best location to for the organization would be Westchester County.
Greenwich, Connecticut was also upset after hearing that their state was no longer an option for the United Nations Security Council. They had reason to believe that their state was first preference on the list of proposed sites for the permanent headquarters. On January 31, a storm of protest broke out. At a meeting later on, they claimed that the signers had, "no hostility toward the UNO or the hopes of world peace which underlie the organization". However, they believed that the placement of the site in Connecticut would have a huge impact on both the group and and the community.
One international opposition in the decision was Pedro Lopez. He believed that the best location for the organization would be the Philippines. However, Pedro was in this argument alone with no supporters. He raised his voice against the decision of placing the headquarters in Fairfield and Westchester County of Connecticut and New York. Struggling on the floor , Pedro Lopez asked that his vote against the recommendations be recorded formally and this was done.
Another major international opposition in the decision for the placement of the UN Security Council was Europe. After the Second World War, Europe was no longer the political center of gravity that they had been for so many years. Because the Second World War took place in Europe, they were in very bad condition afterwards even though they had won. Their victory was a slim one and it left their country damaged. The United States, however, was unharmed and very strong. They replaced Europe and became the new political center of gravity. This made Europe very envious. They went against the decision in placing the United Nations Security Council in the United States.
There were many factors that led to the elimination of Europe in the decision for the location of the UN Security Council. During the time, Europe was very weak from fighting a war. They had one but their victory was a close one. After the war, Europe was in terrible conditions. For example, their economy had collapsed and many cities were destroyed. The war left more than 40 million dead and for the remaining people, it was difficult to find food, drinkable water, and medical supplies. Along with this the unemployment rates were awfully high and they didn't have enough money for reconstruction. Furthermore, Europe was crowded and very lurid at the time. they were no longer entitled to have the organization in their country.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations Security Council, they chose New York. New York was chiosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the world, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. it is considered the cultural and recreational capitol of America . New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen , chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman, "It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. in the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable." Therefore, New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations Security Council. NEW REVISED ESSAY: TASNIM I ADDED YOUR WORK ABOUT THE EUROPEAN OPPOSITION AND WHY NY WAS CHOOSEN The United Nations By Tasnim Choudhury & Betty Diop (Documents used: The Capital of the World; Secondary documents from In Cause of Peace page 55- 57, page 58- 59, and page 60- 61)
How did the United Nations Organization end up in the United States? The U.N. is an international organization designed to keep peace and prevent future wars among nations. After World War Two their mission was to find new headquarters to settle on. It took a series of debates and long inspections before a decision was made. Several factors influenced their choice. Even though there was much opposition, the U.S., being the new political center of gravity, deserved the title capital of the world.
The U.N. wasn't looking for just any place to settle on, there were specific requirements they needed their new site to have. The capital of the world had to have the best available technical facilities, it had to be able to work in a cosmopolitan, and it had to be close to the crossroads of world opinion. Technical Facilities are in terms of communication and transportation. Mechanism and technology allows for communicating and traveling to places beyond the chosen site. The chosen site had to be capable of working in a cosmopolitan or in other words, the world. After all, the U.N. represented harmony among nationalities. The site couldn't be isolated from the rest of the world because then the nations couldn’t work together. The capital of the world had to be near international crossroads, a place with excellent press so news could get around and communication would be more efficient. Only one nation at that time met all those requirements.
Many political changes had resulted after World War II. When the roar of bombs and ammunition finally abated, two superpowers were remaining, the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. had attained a new status. World War II made the U.S. stronger. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese and the following battles in the Pacific had given the U.S. a significance that it had not received during World War I. Europe was no longer the world's political center of gravity. The political center of gravity had to be a strong nation, a superpower capable of becoming the leader in world affairs. The new political center of gravity required dominating geographical, military, and political aspects, and that was exactly why the United States deserved that role.
The United States had a new role in world affairs. While debating the decision of where to locate the United Nations Headquarters, it was stated that the headquarters had to be either in the new political center of gravity or very close to it. If the capital of the world were to be in the U.S., it had to be on the east coast. Not everybody understood the political importance of locating the U.N. headquarters on the northwestern shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States' foreign policy for a long time was neutrality. In order to secure the new political center of gravity's participation in the U.N., they would have to locate the organization on its borders. The United States' new role in world affairs could not be ignored, especially not by the American people themselves. So the U.N. headquarters was to be on the east coast of the U.S. Yet, the decision wasn’t acknowledged until the European opposition was silenced.
There were many factors that led to the elimination of Europe in the decision for the location of the UN. Because the Second World War took place in Europe, it was in very bad condition afterwards even though they had won. Their victory was a slim one and it left their country damaged. The Germans had continuously bombed Britain during the war as Britain fought to remain unconquered. In the end, London was a bomb shattered capital. Their means of communication, their transportation, and their once dominating geographical and political factors had been ruined. Their economy had collapsed and many cities were demolished. The war left more than 40 million dead and for the remaining people, it was difficult to find food, drinkable water, and medical supplies. Along with this the unemployment rates were awfully high and they didn't have enough money for reconstruction. Furthermore, Europe was crowded and very lurid at the time.
The United States, however, was unharmed and very strong. Because they replaced Europe as the new political center of gravity, Europe was very envious. In addition, if the U.N. headquarters were to be permanently located in Britain, it would be cut off from the new political center of gravity. It wouldn't make sense for the U.N. headquarters to be completely isolated from the democratic countries overseas. The League of Nations, which was the first attempt in creating a united nations organization, had failed miserably because of that. The League of Nations had failed due to the indifference of the great powers, which preferred to reserve important matters for their own decisions. When WWII began the League of Nations ended. The Western hemisphere was beginning to take on an identity of its own and no longer needed Europe to look up to. London was no longer world's political center of gravity and therefore would not be the capital of the world.
Europe had been the world's capital for a while and would not give up its position without a fight. Many nations apart of the U.N. were located in Europe. Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France were all in favor of Europe. Another reason the pro- European forces believed Europe would be acceptable for a U.N. site was because of General Eisenhower who was the 34th president of the United States. The Norwegian Delegation had reported, " It is prevailing desire here that General Eisenhower be the Organization's first secretary general." The Foreign Minister of Belgium warned against blocking the election of the desired secretary general by placing the UN headquarters in his homeland. Either way, the pro European forces lost since Eisenhower never became the Secretary General. Also, the U.N.'s Executive Committee had recommended to its successor, the Prepatory Commission that the U.N. headquarters be set in the U.S. Americans were beginning to feel that their home cities would make exemplary U.N. sites. It was definitely becoming obvious where the U.N. headquarters would be located.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations, they chose New York. New York was chosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the World, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. It is considered the cultural and recreational capital of America. New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites for a period of six weeks and an additional 50 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen, chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman," It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. In the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable". New York’s' libraries, institutes, and press stands were unequaled to those anywhere in the world. Its cosmopolitan population provided an inimitable environment for the UN. Therefore New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations.
The effects of WWII left the United States stronger and Europe weaker. The political center of gravity had shifted to the western hemisphere. The US had become a major superpower and was superior to the rest of the world politically and economically. Wouldn't these be the best characteristics for the United Nations site? The United Nations wasn't just looking for an area to settle on. It was looking for a nation the world could look up to, the leader in world affairs, and a country that met the geographical and political requirements. They found all of that in the United States.
Betty/Tasnim:
I read through your essay and found it quite good. I have attached copies of the pages with my margin comments. (See below.)
Betty_Tasnim_Essay_page_1.jpg
Betty_Tasnim_Essay_page_2.jpg
Betty_Tasnim_Essay_page_3.jpg
Betty_Tasnim_Essay_page_4.jpg
Here are some things that you need to consider in making your revisions:
1) You want to include citations in EACH paragraph, indicating from where you took the information. Please see the links at the bottom of the home page for the proper format.
2) Your essay should include information from BOTH primary and secondary source documents. You should consider using some of the data Tasnim found. Remember to cite this information.
3) Think about moving the opening question in the introduction paragraph. I thought a logical place for it would be before the sentence that begins "Several factors . . ."
4) The introduction needs a sentence on the destruction suffered by European countries as a result of the Second Worl War.
5) You should put "capital of the world" in quotation marks.
6) Try condensing the information in the second paragraph into a few sentences and integrate the sentences into the introduction. This will move the paragraph that begins "Many political changes . . ." right after the introduction. It seems to transition better than the paragrpah you currently have in the second position.
7) Avoid contractions and abbreviations. "Couldn't" should be "could not"; "U.S." should be "the United States."
8) In the third paragrpah you mention the attack on Pearl Harbor. How does it lead to the United States becoming the center of gravity in international affairs. Is it this or the fact that the United States did not sustain damage during the war that led to America's rise to power after the Second World War?
9) The paragraph on page two that begins "The United States had a new role . . ." seems to have two main ideas: the United States' new role in world affairs AND the fact that some people did not understand the political importance of locating the United Nations headquarters in the United States. Divide this paragraph in two.
10) In this same paragraph, you mention the longtime neutrality of the United States. How does this fact relate to your thesis statement? Further explanation is required to make this point or the sentence should be deleted.
11) The paragraph on page two that begins "There were many factors . . ." seems out of place. It describes conditions in Great Britain and Europe. Think about moving this paragraph to a position before you describe how the center of gravity shifted to America.
12) In that same paragraph you mention BOTH Great Britain AND Europe. Separate the two points into separate paragraphs. HERE IS WHERE YOU SHOULD INCLUDE INFORMATION ON EUROPE'S OPPOSITION TO THE LOCATION OF THE U.N. HEADQUARTERS IN THE UNITED STATES.
13) Somewhere around here, you should include a paragraph on the debate over where to locate the headquarters once it was decided that it would be located in North America. This is where Tasnim's material should be placed.
14) On page three, you have a paragraph that describes the League of Nations. Why did you include it in your essay? I do not see a link to your thesis statement. Either make the connection more explicit of delete the sentence.
15) I was also confused by your reference to General Eisenhower in the next paragraph. How does this information connect to the idea that Europe would continue to fight the United Nation's locating to the United States.
16) In the same paragraph, you mention Belgium's opposition to the move. This is a new idea and should have its own paragraph.
17) On page four, you start with the fact that New York City was selected as the site of the headquarters. You neglect to mention how the decision was made. I think Tasnim has information on the debate over where to locate the headquarters and the conflicts that were part of the process. You want to include this information to give your reader a sense of how New York City came to be the site for the headquarters.
THERE ARE A FEW OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE SELF EXPLANATORY. PLEASE READ MY MARGIN NOTES FOR THESE POINTS.
It seems like a lot of work, but it's really not. It more a matter of moving paragraphs and adding to them.
Let me know if you would like to meet to discuss these points. We could do this after the summer academy workshops sometime next week.
You're almost done!
Chuck
United Nations Essay
(documents used: The Capital of the World; Secondary documents from In Cause of Peace page 55- 57, page 58- 59, and page 60- 61)
How did the United Nations Organization end up in the United States? The U.N. is an international organization designed to keep peace and prevent future wars among nations. After World War Two their mission was to find new headquarters to settle on. It took a series of debates and long inspections before a decision was made. Several factors influenced their choice. Even though there was much opposition, the U.S., being the new political center of gravity, deserved the title capital of the world.
The U.N. wasn't looking for just any place to settle on, there were specific requirements they needed their new site to have. The capital of the world had to have the best available technical facilities, it had to be able to work in a cosmopolitan, and it had to be close to the crossroads of world opinion. Technical Facilities are in terms of communication and transportation. Mechanism and technology allows for communicating and traveling to places beyond the chosen site. The chosen site had to be capable of working in a cosmopolitan or in other words, the world. After all, the U.N. represented harmony among nationalities. The site couldn't be isolated from the rest of the world because then the nations couldn’t work together. The capital of the world had to be near international crossroads, a place with excellent press so news could get around and communication would be more efficient. Only one nation at that time met all those requirements.
Many political changes had resulted after World War II. When the roar of bombs and ammunition finally abated, two superpowers were remaining. One in the east and one in the west, the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. had attained a new status. World War II took place mostly in Europe. So while Europe was a mess, the U.S. had only grown stronger. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese and the following battles in the Pacific had given the U.S. a significance that it had not received during World War I. Europe was no longer the world's political center of gravity. The political center of gravity had to be a strong nation, a superpower capable of becoming the leader in world affairs. The new political center of gravity required dominating geographical, military, and political aspects, and that was exactly why the United States deserved that role.
The United States had a new role in world affairs. While debating the decision of where to locate the United Nations Headquarters, it was stated that the headquarters had to be either in the new political center of gravity or very close to it. If the capital of the world were to be in the U.S., it had to be on the east coast. Not everybody understood the political importance of locating the U.N. headquarters on the northwestern shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States' foreign policy for a long time was neutrality. In order to secure the new political center of gravity's participation in the U.N., they would have to locate the organization on its borders. The United States' new role in world affairs could not be ignored, especially not by the American people themselves. So the U.N. headquarters was to be on the east coast of the U.S., and what other city would serve as a better permanent site than New York. The decision to place the U.N. headquarters in N.Y. wasn't acknowledged until the European opposition was silenced.
There were several reasons why Europe couldn't have made a suitable world capital. WWII left Europe in shambles. Under normal conditions the U.N. discussions took place in London. The Germans had continuously bombed Britain during the war as Britain fought to remain unconquered. In the end, London was a bomb shattered capital. Their means of communication, their transportation, and their once dominating geographical and political factors had been destroyed during the war. Who would want the world's capital in a city under reconstruction? If the U.N. headquarters were to be permanently located in Britain, it would be cut off from the new political center of gravity. It wouldn't make sense for the U.N. headquarters to be completely isolated from the democratic countries overseas. The League of Nations, which was the first attempt in creating a united nations organization, had failed miserably because of that. The League of Nations had failed due to the indifference of the great powers, which preferred to reserve important matters for their own decisions. When WWII began the League of Nations ended. The Western hemisphere was beginning to take on an identity of its own and no longer needed Europe to look up to. London was no longer world's political center of gravity and therefore would not be the capital of the world.
Europe had been the world's capital for a while and would not give up its position without a fight. Many nations apart of the U.N. were located in Europe. Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France were all in favor of Europe. Another reason the pro- European forces believed Europe would be acceptable for a U.N. site was because of General Eisenhower who was the 34th president of the United States. The Norwegian Delegation had reported, " It is prevailing desire here that General Eisenhower be the Organization's first secretary general." The Foreign Minister of Belgium warned against blocking the election of the desired secretary general by placing the UN headquarters in his homeland. Either way, the pro European forces lost. The U.N.'s Executive Committee had recommended to its successor, the Prepatory Commission that the U.N. headquarters be set in the U.S. Americans were beginning to feel that their home cities would make exemplary U.N. sites. It was definitely becoming obvious where the U.N. headquarters would be located.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations, they chose New York. New York was chosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the World, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. It is considered the cultural and recreational capital of America. New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites for a period of six weeks and an additional 50 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen, chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman," It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. In the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable". New York’s' libraries, institutes, and press stands were unequaled to those anywhere in the world. Its cosmopolitan population provided a inimitable environment for the UN. Therefore New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations.
The effects of WWII left the United States stronger and Europe weaker. The political center of gravity had shifted to the western hemisphere. The US had become a major superpower and was superior to the rest of the world politically and economically. Wouldn't these be the best characteristics for the United Nations site? The United Nations wasn't just looking for an area to settle on. It was looking for a nation the world could look up to, the leader in world affairs, a country that met the geographical and political requirements. This country was the United States.
Tasnim: My half of the essay (it's sort of long because Chuck told be to add all the oppositions)
THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCILIn the decision for finding a suitable location for the UN Security Council there was a few opposing sides. The opposing sides include both national and international oppositions who felt that the Security Council should be placed in their area. The national oppositions in this decision include Westchester County and Greenwich, Connecticut. The international oppositions include Europe and Pedro Lopez from the Philippines.
After hearing about the Uno's decision in placing in placing the headquarters in either New York or Connecticut, Westchester County became upset. A storm of protest rose from Westchester County officials because they had reason to believe that their area was first choice on the group's list of recommendations due to its proximity to New York. They had based their argument on a map that involved an estimated 140 square miles and would affect 10,000 people. They were unhappy about the decision and felt that the best location to for the organization would be Westchester County.
Greenwich, Connecticut was also upset after hearing that their state was no longer an option for the United Nations Security Council. They had reason to believe that their state was first preference on the list of proposed sites for the permanent headquarters. On January 31, a storm of protest broke out. At a meeting later on, they claimed that the signers had, "no hostility toward the UNO or the hopes of world peace which underlie the organization". However, they believed that the placement of the site in Connecticut would have a huge impact on both the group and and the community.
One international opposition in the decision was Pedro Lopez. He believed that the best location for the organization would be the Philippines. However, Pedro was in this argument alone with no supporters. He raised his voice against the decision of placing the headquarters in Fairfield and Westchester County of Connecticut and New York. Struggling on the floor , Pedro Lopez asked that his vote against the recommendations be recorded formally and this was done.
Another major international opposition in the decision for the placement of the UN Security Council was Europe. After the Second World War, Europe was no longer the political center of gravity that they had been for so many years. Because the Second World War took place in Europe, they were in very bad condition afterwards even though they had won. Their victory was a slim one and it left their country damaged. The United States, however, was unharmed and very strong. They replaced Europe and became the new political center of gravity. This made Europe very envious. They went against the decision in placing the United Nations Security Council in the United States.
There were many factors that led to the elimination of Europe in the decision for the location of the UN Security Council. During the time, Europe was very weak from fighting a war. They had one but their victory was a close one. After the war, Europe was in terrible conditions. For example, their economy had collapsed and many cities were destroyed. The war left more than 40 million dead and for the remaining people, it was difficult to find food, drinkable water, and medical supplies. Along with this the unemployment rates were awfully high and they didn't have enough money for reconstruction. Furthermore, Europe was crowded and very lurid at the time. they were no longer entitled to have the organization in their country.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations Security Council, they chose New York. New York was chiosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the world, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. it is considered the cultural and recreational capitol of America . New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen , chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman, "It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. in the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable." Therefore, New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations Security Council.
NEW REVISED ESSAY: TASNIM I ADDED YOUR WORK ABOUT THE EUROPEAN OPPOSITION AND WHY NY WAS CHOOSEN
The United Nations
By Tasnim Choudhury & Betty Diop
(Documents used: The Capital of the World; Secondary documents from In Cause of Peace page 55- 57, page 58- 59, and page 60- 61)
How did the United Nations Organization end up in the United States? The U.N. is an international organization designed to keep peace and prevent future wars among nations. After World War Two their mission was to find new headquarters to settle on. It took a series of debates and long inspections before a decision was made. Several factors influenced their choice. Even though there was much opposition, the U.S., being the new political center of gravity, deserved the title capital of the world.
The U.N. wasn't looking for just any place to settle on, there were specific requirements they needed their new site to have. The capital of the world had to have the best available technical facilities, it had to be able to work in a cosmopolitan, and it had to be close to the crossroads of world opinion. Technical Facilities are in terms of communication and transportation. Mechanism and technology allows for communicating and traveling to places beyond the chosen site. The chosen site had to be capable of working in a cosmopolitan or in other words, the world. After all, the U.N. represented harmony among nationalities. The site couldn't be isolated from the rest of the world because then the nations couldn’t work together. The capital of the world had to be near international crossroads, a place with excellent press so news could get around and communication would be more efficient. Only one nation at that time met all those requirements.
Many political changes had resulted after World War II. When the roar of bombs and ammunition finally abated, two superpowers were remaining, the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S. had attained a new status. World War II made the U.S. stronger. The attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese and the following battles in the Pacific had given the U.S. a significance that it had not received during World War I. Europe was no longer the world's political center of gravity. The political center of gravity had to be a strong nation, a superpower capable of becoming the leader in world affairs. The new political center of gravity required dominating geographical, military, and political aspects, and that was exactly why the United States deserved that role.
The United States had a new role in world affairs. While debating the decision of where to locate the United Nations Headquarters, it was stated that the headquarters had to be either in the new political center of gravity or very close to it. If the capital of the world were to be in the U.S., it had to be on the east coast. Not everybody understood the political importance of locating the U.N. headquarters on the northwestern shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States' foreign policy for a long time was neutrality. In order to secure the new political center of gravity's participation in the U.N., they would have to locate the organization on its borders. The United States' new role in world affairs could not be ignored, especially not by the American people themselves. So the U.N. headquarters was to be on the east coast of the U.S. Yet, the decision wasn’t acknowledged until the European opposition was silenced.
There were many factors that led to the elimination of Europe in the decision for the location of the UN. Because the Second World War took place in Europe, it was in very bad condition afterwards even though they had won. Their victory was a slim one and it left their country damaged. The Germans had continuously bombed Britain during the war as Britain fought to remain unconquered. In the end, London was a bomb shattered capital. Their means of communication, their transportation, and their once dominating geographical and political factors had been ruined. Their economy had collapsed and many cities were demolished. The war left more than 40 million dead and for the remaining people, it was difficult to find food, drinkable water, and medical supplies. Along with this the unemployment rates were awfully high and they didn't have enough money for reconstruction. Furthermore, Europe was crowded and very lurid at the time.
The United States, however, was unharmed and very strong. Because they replaced Europe as the new political center of gravity, Europe was very envious. In addition, if the U.N. headquarters were to be permanently located in Britain, it would be cut off from the new political center of gravity. It wouldn't make sense for the U.N. headquarters to be completely isolated from the democratic countries overseas. The League of Nations, which was the first attempt in creating a united nations organization, had failed miserably because of that. The League of Nations had failed due to the indifference of the great powers, which preferred to reserve important matters for their own decisions. When WWII began the League of Nations ended. The Western hemisphere was beginning to take on an identity of its own and no longer needed Europe to look up to. London was no longer world's political center of gravity and therefore would not be the capital of the world.
Europe had been the world's capital for a while and would not give up its position without a fight. Many nations apart of the U.N. were located in Europe. Denmark, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France were all in favor of Europe. Another reason the pro- European forces believed Europe would be acceptable for a U.N. site was because of General Eisenhower who was the 34th president of the United States. The Norwegian Delegation had reported, " It is prevailing desire here that General Eisenhower be the Organization's first secretary general." The Foreign Minister of Belgium warned against blocking the election of the desired secretary general by placing the UN headquarters in his homeland. Either way, the pro European forces lost since Eisenhower never became the Secretary General. Also, the U.N.'s Executive Committee had recommended to its successor, the Prepatory Commission that the U.N. headquarters be set in the U.S. Americans were beginning to feel that their home cities would make exemplary U.N. sites. It was definitely becoming obvious where the U.N. headquarters would be located.
Above all optional locations for the placement of the United Nations, they chose New York. New York was chosen not only because it met the requirements but also due to the advantages of the location. New York is close to the crossroads of the World, it is compatible with safety, and contains the best available technical facilities. Along with this, no city can compare to its transportation and communication facilities. It is considered the cultural and recreational capital of America. New York officials agreed to offer facilities for 5,000 persons. Their offer included 250 suites for a period of six weeks and an additional 50 suites from the Waldorf Astoria. Grover A. Whalen, chairman of the Mayor's UNO committee, assured that more space would be found in Nassau and Queens if more space was required. Also, the mayor told the chairman," It is a privilege to be able to make your path easier. In the days to come you will find that nothing will be left undone by New York City and its people to make you comfortable". New York’s' libraries, institutes, and press stands were unequaled to those anywhere in the world. Its cosmopolitan population provided an inimitable environment for the UN. Therefore New York would be the best choice as the location for the United Nations.
The effects of WWII left the United States stronger and Europe weaker. The political center of gravity had shifted to the western hemisphere. The US had become a major superpower and was superior to the rest of the world politically and economically. Wouldn't these be the best characteristics for the United Nations site? The United Nations wasn't just looking for an area to settle on. It was looking for a nation the world could look up to, the leader in world affairs, and a country that met the geographical and political requirements. They found all of that in the United States.